Crispy Potato Wedges

I am all about crispy potatoes. They are probably my favorite way to eat potatoes, second only to those covered in a cheese sauce… I’ve found that too often I am faced with potatoes that are cooked just until fork tender rather than to the point of crisping their edges. I don’t like potatoes in general that much so if I am going to eat them, I would like for them to at least be good.

My Husband loooooves potatoes so I end up making them a lot as a side for dinner. He will eat them any way I serve them, as long as they are plain without any cheese or anything on them (which makes me sad). Since I have a preference though, I always try and crisp up our oven roasted potatoes. So that is what I am going to share with you. And it isn’t so much of a recipe that I have but a technique. I used to just dice up some potatoes, place them on a sheet pan, toss them with oil and seasonings, then put them in the oven. While most of that has remained the same, I’ve learned a few things.

#1- Avoid russet potatoes. Not all together, just for our purposes here. Russets are a starchy potato, best used for anything that doesn’t need to hold its shape such as mashed potatoes. New potatoes or “waxy” potatoes like the tiny red ones, fingerlings, etc. fall into this category. They hold their shape really well and are great for roasting. I used Yukon Gold potatoes for these wedges since they are large and can be cut into the best wedge shape, but you can use any of the new potatoes with the same technique and have wonderful results. Yukon Golds are actually a medium starch variety and can be used well for both mashing and roasting.

#2- Preheat your baking sheet. This allows the potatoes to start cooking almost immediately once they touch the pan. This speeds up the cooking process and creates a crispier exterior.

#3- Oil is your friend. Pleassssse don’t be afraid to use the oil here. Obviously they shouldn’t be swimming in an inch of oil, but the more oil you put on the potatoes, the greater “frying” effect it will have on them and thus- a crispier crust! I usually toss everything, including the oil, in a large bowl before putting on a hot sheet tray and that tends to yield good results.

#4- Be patient! Potatoes take a little while to cook in general, but if you want them to be crispy, they take that much longer. Just keep an eye on them in the oven, toss them after 20 minutes, then just let them go until they are as crisp as you’d like them.

1 lb yukon gold potatoes

3 Tb olive oil

1½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

optional additional seasonings: cayenne pepper, thyme, rosemary, etc

Preheat oven and sheet tray in a 450°F oven.

Meanwhile prepare potatoes: slice in half and then cut each half into 6 to 8 wedges, depending on the size of your potato. Toss into large bowl.